His Majesty King Abdullah on Saturday met the head of the Arab League and members of the US Congress on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum WEF which he opened earlier in the day on Dead Sea shores.

King Abdullah addressed more than 1,100 delegates, including heads of state and government, politicians, economists, entrepreneurs and intellectuals at the WEF opening session.

The King later met Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby for talks on challenges currently facing the Middle East, including the escalating situation in Syria and efforts to bring about a just and comprehensive peace in the region.

During the meeting, attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, and His Royal Highness Prince Feisal bin Al Hussein, His Majesty reiterated Jordan's firm support for a transitional political solution to the Syrian crisis. He also pointed to the rising numbers of Syrian refugees that had put huge burdens on Jordan's resources, which warranted more international support for the Kingdom.

Also on the agenda were efforts to achieve peace and end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on the two-state solution.

The King pledged that Jordan will work with all parties to bring views closer together towards a real revival of peace negotiations that address all final status issues. He spoke of the need to make use of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative to arrive at a just and comprehensive peace in the region and “not miss this opportunity.”

The Arab League secretary general commended Jordan for hosting the WEF, which, he said, offers key investment opportunities, opens the door for dialogue among leaders of various sectors in the Middle East and sheds more light on the region’s outstanding issues.

In a meeting with US Senators John McCain and Robert Menendez and House member Kay Granger, His Majesty thanked the US for its support for Jordan’s development. On regional issues, the King commended US efforts to break the logjam in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, reiterating that Jordan will continue to pursue its efforts alongside the US and other concerned parties to end the conflict on the basis of the two-state solution, the only means to reach a final peace deal.

His Majesty called for stepped up efforts by regional and world powers to end the suffering of the Syrian people and find a political solution to the Syrian crisis.

The US officials said they valued the King's peace efforts and his wise approach towards various Middle East challenges, pledging to work with the US administration to galvanise international support for Jordan as it deals with rising numbers of Syrian refugees and strives to carry out its development projects.